Electric switch operating mechanism



Nov. 27, 1951 Filed Dec. 5l, 1949 A. J. KREINER ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM 2 SHEETS--SHEET l A. J. KRl-:INER 2,576,609

ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Nov. 27, 1951 Filed Dec. 3l, 1949 7j 1f Q "mi flml HWI INVENTOR. /w/fo/w MPE/ Nee Patented Nov. 27, 1951 ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Anthony J. Kreiner, Wicklile, Ohio, assignor to Designers ForIndustry,.Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 31, 1949, Serial No. 136,377

1 Claim.v (Cl. 20G- 153) This invention relates to electric switch mechanisms and, more particularly, to an irnproved actuating mechanism for an electric switch of the coaxial type.

In the operation of a coaxial switch itis very important that when the movable contact means is moved to an engaged switch position it assume an accurately aligned relation withrrespect to the stationary contact means engaged thereby. The present invention is especially concerned with an actuating means for the movable switch member or rotor of such a coaxial switch and provides novel positioningmeans by which such an accurately aligned relation will be automatically obtained during each movement of the movable contact means to its engaged switch position.

In a coaxial switch mechanism of the type in which the movable contact means, or the rotor carrying the same, is actuated by a power means such as an electromagnetic device, the need for such a positioning means is even more imperative because the momentum of the moving parts and the irregularities or variations inherent in the functioning of the power device prevent the movable contact means from regularly assuming an accurately aligned position relative to the stationary contact means engaged thereby.

As one of its objects the present invention accordingly provides an improved coaxial switch ,mechanism in which a novel positioning means is effective for locating the movable switch member or rotor during the shifting thereof to an engaged switch position, such that the movable contact means will always assume an accurately aligned relation with respect to the stationary contact means engaged thereby.

Another object is to provide an improved coaxial switch mechanism in which the positioning means for producing the desired accurate alignment between the movable and stationary contact means comprises cooperating detent element carried respectively by the housing structure and the movable switch member.

A further object is to provide an improved coaxial switch mechanism of the character mentioned, in which the positioning means for producing the desired accurate alignment between the movable and stationary contact means comprises detent means contained in the housing of the coaxial switch and movable in the direction of the rotation axis of the switch rotor.

Yet another object of this invention is to prov vide an improvedcoaxial switchmechanism of the kind referred to, in which the switch-rotor is coniined in the switch chamber for movement in one plane only and the positioning means for producing the desired accurate alignment between the movable and stationary contact means comprises cooperating detent elements contained in the housing of the coaxial switch and one of which elements is a convergently tapered socket and the other is movable in the direction of the axis of rotation of the switch rotor for self-centering positioning engagement in such socket.

As another of its objects this invention provides a coaxial switch mechanism of the character mentioned having arcuately spaced stationary contacts and a rotor carrying a movable contact means and confined in the switch chamber for movement in one plane only to different switch positions represented by such stationary contacts and driven by an electromagnetic power device having a power output shaft which is intermittently rotatable through increments of angular movement bearing a modular relation to the spacing of the stationary contacts and in which a positioning means effective on the rotor for locating the movable contact means in aligned relation to the stationary Contact means comprises cooperating detent elements contained in the housing of the coaxial switch and one of which elements is a convergently tapered socket and the other is movable in the direction of the axis of rotation of the switch rotor for selfcentering positioning engagement in such socket.

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the claim hereof.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section taken through a coaxial switch mechanism embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an outside end view of the mechanism looking toward the coaxial switch;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through the mechanism adjacent the outer end of the electromagnetic power device, as indicated by section line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through the power device adjacent the ratchet mechanism thereof, as indicated by section line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial transverse section taken through the power device substantially at the location of the ratchet mechanism thereof, as indicated by section line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a partial transverse section taken axial switch mechanism i0 comprises, in general,

a coaxial switch I and a switch actuating mechanism I2 operably connected with such coaxial switch. The coaxial switch II is more uily disclosed in related copending application Serial No. 780,059, i'lled October l5. 194)?, now Patent No, 2,565,643, August 28, 1951.

The coaxial switch I I is of the type comprising a switch housing |3 formed of connected sections Vdeii'ning a switch chamber I4.'and a rotor I5 substantially lling said chamber and confined therein for movement in one plane only. This coaxial switch also includes a plurality of arcuately spaced stationary switch contacts |76, in this instance three such stationary contacts, which extend into the switch chamber and engagera circumferentialflange Il carried by the rotor I5. Each of the stationary contacts i6 is mounted in coaxial relation in a carrier i8 by a body of electrically insulating plastic material VI9 contained therein. The carrier i3 is mounted on the housing I3 so as to have a snug fitting engagement in a socket opening of the latter Aand locates the contact I6 in proper position for running engagement with the rotor flange Il. The switch is here shown as having three of theV stationary contacts l of which the contact Ilia (see Fig. 2) is the common terminal contact representing an incoming signal channel and the contacts |617 and |60 are terminal contacts representing branch outlet signal channels.

The rotor I5 of the coaxial switch II carries va pair of movable contacts 2`| and 22 which are formed by the ends of a conductor 23 and are `locatedVv in interruptions or gaps 24 and 25 of the rotor flange I1. The conductor 22 is coaxially mounted in a passage 26 of the rotor by a body of plastic insulating material 2T contained in such passage. The contacts 2| and 22 are of `the same thickness as the. rotor flange |'I and form smooth, flush continuations of this flange. The portions of the gaps 24 and 25 are closed on opposite sides of the contacts '2| and 22 by portions `28 and 29 of the insulating body 26 so that these insulating portions also form smooth, `flush continuations of the rotor iiange.

By movement of the rotor I5 in the plane of the ange I1 the contacts 2'I and 22 can be shifted to an engaged switch position in engagementv with the stationary contacts IIia. and |519 as shown in Fig. 2 or to another engaged switch position in which the contacts 2| and 22 are in engagement respectively with the stationary contacts |6c and |611.. The rotor i5 is provided with a shaft extension 30 which is journaled in the housing |,I and to which actuating torque can` be applied for driving the rotor. When the rotor contacts 2| and 22 have been engaged with a desired pair of the stationary contacts I6 it is necessary for the proper functioning of the coaxial switch I I, as mentioned above,

that the rotor contacts be accurately aligned or oppositely positioned with respect tothe stationary contacts so engaged. The present invention,`

provides novel positioning means for obtaining this accurate alignment and which positioning means will be described in detail hereinafter.

The switch actuating mechanism I2 includes an outer housing 3| formed by complemental cup-shaped housing sections 3|a and 3|b. The housing section 3|c1l is connected with the switch housing I3 by a plurality of posts 32, in this instance four, having threaded ends 32a which are screwed into the switch housing for clamping the housing member 31a thereagainst with a gasket 33 interposed therebetween. The housing section 3 la forms the base of the outer housing and the housing section 3Ib forms a cover which is heldin assembled relation to the base by a group of tie rods 34. As shown in Fig. i, the adjacent ends of the housing sections 3|a and 3|.b engage in oppositely extending grooves of a sealing ring 35.

Also included in the switch actuating mechanism I2 is an electromagnetic power device 38 having an intermittently rotatable power output shaft 39. This electromagnetic power device is a so-called rotary solenoid of the kind forming a part of the mechanism disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,480,940, granted November 18, 1947. The power device 38 also includes a magnet coil 40 located in a casing 4| and an axially movable armature 42 connected with a rotary shaft 43 which is axially' aligned with the power output shaft 39. The armature 42 is movable toward and away from a core 44 which is also located in the casing 4I and is adapted to be magnetized by the coil 40. Y

At its outer end the armature 42 is connected with a plate 45 which is disposed in spaced relation to the end wall 4G of the casing 4I. The adjacent faces of the plate 45 ind the enc wan 46 are provided, respectively, with shallow arcuate recesses 41 and 48 located in overlapping relation to each other and forming a pocket inwhich an antifriction ball 49 is coniined. Three groups of the paired arcuate recesses 4'Il and 48 are provided and. as shown in Fig. 3, these paired recesses are disposed in circumferentially spaced relation around the axis of the rotary shaft 43. A spiral spring 5,0 disposed around the shaft 43 and having one of its ends anchored thereon transmits thrust through the shaft to the armature 42 normally urging the same toward the left, as seen in Fig. 1, or, in other words, away from the core 44.

When the coil 40 is electrically energized, the magnetic pull on the armature 42 overcomes the spring 5|) and moves the armature toward the core, that is, toward the right as seen in Fig. 1.

During this movement of the armature 42,` the plate 45 vtravels in an axial direction from its dotted line position to its full line position and the thrust applied to the balls 49 by this axial movement causes the plate to rotate through the limited arcuate movement represented by the permissible travel of thel balls in the paired arcuate recesses 41 and 48. This combined rotary and axial movement of the plate 45 causes a corresponding combined rotary and axial movement of the shaft 43.

lThe adjacent ends of the shafts 43 and 39 are operably connected by a ratchet mechanism formed by a pair of cooperating plate members 5| and r52 mounted on these shafts. These plate members carry groups of circumferentially spaced inclinedngers 53 and 54 which are deflected toward each other out of the planes oi therespec tive plate members, the driving plate member 53 having three such ngers and the driven plate member 52 having four such fingers. During the combined rotary and axial movement of the shaft 43 a similar combined rotary and axial movement is imparted to the plate member 5|, causing one of the iingers 53 thereof to engage one of the fingers 54 of the plate member 42 and impart rotary movement to the latter plate member and to the shaft 39 connected therewith. Thus, during each such combined rotary and axial power stroke of the shaft 43, one of the fingers 53 of the plate member 5I engages and drives one of the fingers 54 of the plate member 52 and successive power strokes of the shaft 43 impart a step-bystep rotary movement to the shaft 39. During the retracting movement imparted to the shaft 43 in the opposite direction by the spiral spring 50, the plate member 5| is rotated in the reverse direction thereby disengaging the linger 53 from the nger 54 and causing the plate member 5! to have a rotary ratchet movement with respect to the plate member 52.

The power device 38 also includes two switch devices 56 and 51 for intermittently energizing and deenergizing the magnet winding 40. The switch device 5S comprises a pair of normally closed contacts 58, one of which is a movable con tact carried by a spring arm 56a. The contacts 58 are adapted to be opened by an actuating nger 59 of a plate member 6B which is formed of insulating material and is rotatable about the shaft 39. The switch actuating member 6I) is adapted to be oscillated by movement transmitted thereto from the plate member 5|. For this purpose, the plate member 5I carries an axially extending linger 6I which extends between the finger 59 of the plate member 60 and an adjacent finger 62.

When rotary movement is imparted to the plate member 6B in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 5, the nger 59 will engage the portion 56h of the spring arm 56a and cause opening of the contacts 58. Since these contacts are in the circuit of the magnet coil 40, the opening thereof will deenergize the magnet and permit the spiral spring 56 to retract the armature 42. The reverse rotary movement imparted to the plate member 5| during the retraction of the armature 42, causes the switch actuating member 6I! to 'be shifted in the opposite direction to permit closing of the contacts 58 for reenergizing the magnet coil 40.

The energizing circuit for the magnet coi1 40 is also controlled by the switch device 51 which comprises a flat ring 33 of conducting material connected with the shaft 39 so as to be driven thereby through an insulating disk 64. The switch device 51 also includes a number of contacts 65 mounted on an insulating support S6 and having sliding engagement with the contact ring 63. As shown in Fig. 9, the Contact ring E3 has a gap or interrupting recess S1 therein which passes under the contacts S5 in succession during the rotation of this contact ring by the shaft 39.

y The energizing current for the magnet 43 passes through the contact ring 63 and a selected one of the contacts 65. So long as the energization of the magnet coil 40 is interrupted only by the self-closing switch device 56, the power device 38 will operate to drive the rotor output shaft 39 with a step-by-step angular movement. When the gap 61 of the contact ring 63 arrives at the contact which is then included in the magnet energizing circuit, such as the contact 65a, the

circuit will be broken and the.maer.1etwi11remain deenergized regardless of the reclosing of the contacts 58 of the switch device 56.

The outer end of the power output shaft 39 of the power device 38 is connected with the shaft extension of the rotor I5 of the coaxial switch and the operation of the power device imparts asimilar step-by-step rotary movement to the rotor. In the coaxial switch II here shown the stationary contacts I6 are spaced apart an angular distance of ninety degrees, and in the construction here shown for the power device 38 each energization of the magnet causes the shaft 39 to be rotated through an angular distance of thirty degrees which bears a modular relation to the ninety degree spacing of the stationary contacts IB of the coaxial switch. The magnet 40 of the power device y38 is energized through a selected one of the contacts of the switch device 51, such as the contact 65a, which will result in operation of the power device continuously until the rotor contact 2| reaches the stationary contact I6 desired to be engaged for the signal circuit to be completed, whereupon the gap 61 of the contact ring 63 will arrive at a position under the selected contact 65a to deenergize the circuit of the magnet coil 40, thereby leaving the rotor contact 2| in engagement with the desired stationary contact I6.

As has already been indicated above, it is important in the operation of the coaxial switch I I that the rotor contacts 2| and 22 be accurately aligned with the stationary contacts I6 which are engaged thereby. To this end the present invention provides a positioning means which is effective for locating the rotor contacts 2| and 22 in such accurately aligned relation with respect to the stationary contacts I6 engaged thereby. This positioning means comprises a pair of cooperating detent elements contained in the housing |3 of the coaxial switch I I. One of these detent elements is a convergently tapered socket 1I formed in an end face 12 of the rotor I5 and the other detent element is a ball 13 movable in a bore 14 of the switch housing and engageable in such socket. A compression spring 15 located in the bore 14 acts on the ball 13 tending to project the same from the bore and produces a self-center- .ing seating engagement in the convergently tapered socket 1 I.

It is important to observe that, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the bore 14 extends in parallel relation to the axis of rotation of the rotor I5 and that the movement of the ball 13 in engaging in the socket 1| is along a directional line extending parallel to such axis. A plurality of pairs of these cooperating detent elements 1| and 13 are provided and, in this instance, the rotor I5 of the switch II is provided with four of the sockets 1I located in a circumferential series around the rotor axis and spaced apart an angular distance of ninety degrees. The switch housing I3 is provided with two of the axially extending bores 14 and a corresponding number of the balls 13.

As shown in Fig. 8, the detent sockets 1| are displaced forty-five degrees from the locations of the rotor contacts 2| and 22. The bores 14 are located in the housing 3 so as to lie in a circumferential series around the axis of rotation of the rotor and are located at points which are offset forty-five degrees from the stationary contacts IBa, |622, and 16o. When the switch housing and rotor members |3 and I5 are constructed with the detent sockets 1| and the bores 14 located therein ,as just described above, it will be s een that when Yaxis of the power output shaft 39.

awaeoo With'a pairof the stationary contacts`V IB'and are in accurately aligned relation with respect thereto, the axes of the detent sockets 'II will coincide exactly with the axes of the bores 'I4 registering therewith.

Since the switch rotor I5 substantially lls the chamber I4 of the housing I3 and is confined in this chamber so that it can have movement in one plane only, namely rotary movement in the plane of the flange I'I, it will be seen that as the rotor is driven by the power device 38, the detent sockets I will come into registering relation with the bores 'III for engagement of the balls I3 in these sockets when the rotor contacts 2I and `22 are brought into engagement with a pair of the stationary contacts I6. The action of the vballs 'I3 on the inclined side faces of the sockets 'II under the influence of the springs 15 Will cause the balls to exert a self-centering action on the rotor by which the rotor will be made to assume.-

a final position in which the rotor contacts 2I and 22 will be inthe desired accurately aligned relation with respect to the stationary contacts I6 engaged thereby. The engagement of the balls 'i3 in the sockets I will also serve as a releasable f.

tromagnetic power device 38 can be rmly connected with the switch housing I3. This mounting means comprises a plate member 96 which is connected with the casing 4I of the power device and projects laterally therefrom so as to provide mounting portions 96a lying in a transverse plane disposed in substantially normal relation to the The-mounting portions 93a. are here shown as being the corner portions of a substantially square shape for the plate member 96 and are provided with openings 96h which receive the reduced and threaded upper ends of the posts 32 and 83. When the power device I38-has been inserted into the outer housing 3| of the switch mechanism and the ends of the post engaged in the openings 96h of the mounting plate 9S, the power device will be located with its power output shaft 39 in properly aligned relation with respect to the shaft extension 3U of the switch rotor I5. The posts 32 and 83 have shoulders 91 thereon against which the mounting portions 96a of the plate are clamped by the nuts 98 applied to the threaded ends of these posts. Y f

A flexible driving connection between the power output shaft 39 of the power device 38 and the shaft extension 30 of the switch rotor I5 is formed by a coupling member 99 having a tongue portion |00 on the inner end thereof which engages in a corresponding transverse slot provided in the end of the shaft extension 3i) and at its other end the coupling member is provided with a pair of spaced axial arms IUI which embrace the outer end of the power output shaft 39 and define a transverse slot I02 in which a flattened end portion of the power output shaft is received. Since the coupling member 99 is partially housed in the shaft opening of theswitch housing I3, it will always be maintained in assembled relation with respect to the ends of theA shafts 30 and 39 connected thereby. The shaft opening of the switch housing is of a size to provide a small clearance around the coupling member 99 so that this member will be` capable of limited shifting in twodirections `for correcting small misalig'nmentsof the shafts V'3II-an'd-39.- "fi 1 1 'As shown in Fig. Lone of the mounting posts 83 is provided at its outer end with an extension post member |93 instead of one of the clamping nuts 98, and this extension post member provides a mount on which a condenser |94 can be mounted by means of a clamping bracket H15. The section 3Ib of the outer housing 3I is shown in Fig. l as being provided with an electric coupling member |06 with which the various electrical conductors servicing the power device 38 can be connected and which provides a terminal means for electrically connecting the switch actuating mechanism with external circuit conductors.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, it will now be readily understood that this invention provides an improved coaxial switch mechanism in which a desired accurate alignment of the rotor contacts with respect to the stationary contacts engaged thereby can be consistently obtained during the operation of the mechanism. It will now also be understood that this improved coaxial switch mechanism embodies novel positioning means which is effective on the movable switch member or rotor of the coaxial switch for producing and releasably maintaining the desired accurate contact alignment. As already explained in detail herein, this invention also provides simple and efficient positioning means effective on the switch member or rotor of a coaxial switch and permitting the use of an electromagnetic power device of the rotary solenoid type having an intermittently rotatable power output shaft, as a satisfactory driving means for the switch rotor and also provides a novel construction in which the positioning means is contained within the housing of the coaxial switch and comprises a detent member movable in the direction of the axis of rotation of the switch rotor for self-centering engagement in a convergently tapered detent socket.

Although the improved coaxial switch mechanism of this invention has been illustrated and described herein to a detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claim hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a coaxial switch mechanism, a housing having a substantially cylindrical chamber therein, stationary contacts supported by said housing and located in arcuately spaced relation adjacent the periphery of said chamber, a substantially cylindrical switch rotor disposed in said chamber and being rotatable therein, contact means carried by said rotor for selective engagement with said stationary contacts and required to be accurately aligned with respect to the stationary contact or contacts engaged thereby, said housing being closed on one side of said rotor and on the opposite side having a main bore communicating with said chamber, said rotor being of a size and shape to substantially ll said chamber and having a shaft portion extending into but not through said main bore, an electromagnetic power device of the type having an intermittently driven power output shaft, connecting means substantially rigidly connecting said power device with said housing in a position for locating an end of said output shaft substantially in coaxial alignment with the end of said shaft portion, the adjacent shaft ends of said output shaft and said shaft portion being provided with tongue and slot elements-means forming a iexible drive connection between said power device and said rotor for actuation of the latter to and from an engaged Switch position comprising a coupling nieinher confined in said main bore and having slot and tongue elements engaging the tongue and slot elements of said shaft ends, and sets of cooperating detent elements carried by said rotor and housing and effective as a positioning means for said rotor for locating said contact means in said required accurate alignment with respect to the stationary contact or contacts engaged thereby, one set of said detent elements comprising a group of conoavely convergent sockets formed in said rotor in arcuately spaced surrounding relation to said shaft portion and the other set of said detent elements comprising a group of auxiliary bores formed in said housing parallel with and in arcuately spaced surrounding relation to said main bore and spring-actuated convex plungers projecting from said auxiliary bores and 20 engageable in said sockets.

ANTHONY J. KREINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,504,227 Gent Aug. 12, 1924 2,025,978 Getty Dec. 31, 1935 2,399,906 Bentley May 7, 1946 2,435,978 Newkirk Feb. 17, 1948 2,454,646 Gates Nov, 23, 1948 2,473,565 Bird June 21, 1949 2,475,647 Spriggs July 12, 1949 2,509,928 Klein May 30, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 514,841 Great Britain Nov. 20, 1939 

